Mirror, Mirror
by Kaishei
Summary: AU, high school (sort of). Family is a funny concept.
1. Delinquents

**An A/U High school fic, written as a Christmas present for**_ tonguemarksonmymirror. _**I was originally going to post it as a one-shot, but instead have decided for multi-chapter, that way she'll get to read some of it before ****_next _****Christmas. *****_Rolls eyes*_**

* * *

The town of Storybrooke sits in Maine, USA, along the coast. Storybrooke is large, yet also small, in a way impossible to describe. It has only one school, that caters all ages. One hospital, that caters all sicknesses, all injuries, all worries. One fire service station. One sheriff station, with only two cells, one interrogation room, and no prison to be found within the town. Only one sheriff, with no-one under him, to keep the town in order. There is one bar, one pet shelter, and a seemingly never-ending expanse of forest surrounding the town, except the one road leading from Storybrooke that no-one ever seems to take, and the sea on the other end, full of boats that never leave the port.

It also has an extensive history of attracting the weird and wonderful.

* * *

"Detention" Blue announced, "is to be used productively. You will do work, or homework, or you will study. If you have no materials, well, you are in a library. However stupid you may like to make us think you are, I think you can work that one out. I will be back in three hours, nobody is to leave. Just to make sure..." Blue sends Jefferson a pointed glare, to which he merely returns a lazy grin and a wiggle of his fingers. "I will be locking the door behind me." Blue sweeps her eyes over the group of misfit teens one last time before turning on heel and leaving the library, doors clicking shut behind her.

She slides the a bolt lock shut behind her, fire safety be damned. There had never been a fire in Storybrooke anyway.

* * *

Blue Superior is the headmistress at the Storybrooke Educational Facility, or SEF as the lazy call it. Blue Superior, what a name. _Damn my parents... bless their souls... but why would they name me that... irrelevant, they dedicated their life to raising me in a... oh forget it. _Blue struggled through the what seemed daily argument, in her head, of why Storybrooke contained so many strange people with strange names and past times, including herself.

As she crosses the road, into the actual school building, she watches the people pass her by on this warm weekend morning, only able to name one face in a crowd of many. _It's funny,_ she thinks, _Storybrooke has a large population, but I could only name several dozen of the people living here. Out of the hundreds enrolled at the school, of the hundred I teach, I could only name, recognize, a handful_.

Finally reaching her office and ending her short journey, she takes a seat behind her desk, placed conveniently next to the large window facing the Library. Peering out, she sighs, realizing that most of the students were not studying, instead doing everything but. Blue didn't expect anything different, especially from those students, but she had hoped. _If they were going to study, they probably wouldn't be in detention in the first place... huh... _Blue leans back, shaking her head at the revelation that it is only the students who frequent detention that she can actually remember.

Sitting back, she closes her eyes and lets the sunlight caress her face, as she thinks back to why they were in detention in the first place... this time anyway.

* * *

_Sidney Glass._ Sidney, he isn't the brightest of lads. Always looking for gossip, always looking for a rumour to spread. This time he made the mistake of getting caught talking about Ruby... by her mother. He did admit to me, that in hindsight, talking about Ruby in her family diner was probably a stupid idea. Thank the Lord he realizes his mistake. Unfortunately, Anita can be quite ruthless, especially where her family is involved, and demanded he pay time for it. I doubt he'll spend the time doing work, he is much more likely to be blogging on his laptop, or harassing Regina. I wish I could say it was a harmless crush, but I can't help but worry about him, Regina does tend to take advantage of his infatuation.

_Jefferson Hatter._ Jefferson, oh Jefferson. Quite the clown, quite the troublemaker. The boy tends to end up in the strangest of places. This time, it happened to be the girls locker room. He fell through the vent. Needless to say, it didn't go down too well with the girls, who were changing. I did question why he was in the vent system in the first place, but I never did get any answers. He'll probably be goofing off, possibly with Rumpel, they seem to be quite chummy.

_Rumpelstiltskin Gold._ Rumpelstiltskin... I can't help but feel sorry for the kid, he does tend to be picked on. His name is, as far as unique names go, quite the winner. His father owns the pawnbrokers, and he definitely picked up the knack to making deals. He just had the misfortune of being caught trading examination answers. I've no idea where or how he got them, and he certainly didn't give up his sources. He's a strange boy, not one to socialize, yet he seems familiar with most of the delinquents that detention frequently houses.

_Belle French. _Belle doesn't actually have detention, she's quite the model student. I suspect that she's actually there to keep her brother company. She was adopted by the Gold's after her father went missing, much to my surprise, seeing as Gold senior was the prime suspect. It is curious how Belle is so familiar with the delinquent students, as is her brother, yet she could not be classed one herself. I believe I've even heard her be called an "honorary delinquent", in those exact terms. Perhaps it is because she spends so much time in the library, she does love to read after all.

_Regina Mills._ Regina, the mayors daughter. A loner. I've even heard her be called an 'emo', whatever that is. I can't say I'm 'down' with the lingo the kids use today. Regina is often withdrawn, and engages in frequent antisocial and self-destructive behaviour, but any attempt to talk with her about it, or her parents, is shot down. I've tried sending her to Archie, but she just won't speak with him. I was forced to give her detention after she turned up to class drunk, I decided not to inform her parents, I stopped doing that years ago. In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but think that perhaps it would do more harm than good.

_Emma Swan._ Emma, another loner, yet more of a 'bad girl' than an 'emo'. Most would label Emma as a textbook case of orphan behaviour. I'm not so sure, but I have nothing to back it up with. Emma is the only person I know that doesn't actually come from Storybrooke... I don't think she does anyway, we'll never really know. She was found a little way outside of town by the mayor. I can't for the life of me remember why the mayor was out of town, but I remember that everyone was shocked when the mayor, Cora, adopted her. It was met with suspicion, and even to this day, 18 years later, Cora's intent is still masked in mystery. It would be easy to assume she just wanted to help an innocent, defenceless child, but anyone who knows Cora Mills, knows to be wary. Especially given that Emma was mostly unseen, unheard of for the majority of her growing up. Cora homeschooled her, until 4 months ago, when she suddenly enrolled her at SEF.

The more I try to work out the Mills', the more dodgy it appears. Emma and Regina barely talk, they don't communicate, it's as if they are strangers... yet they grew up in the same household. From what I've prized from Regina over the years, it seems that they had very little association with one another, they hardly ever crossed paths, that Emma was confined mostly to her room.

Not for the first time, I wonder if I should have done something, if anyone should have done something. Cora Mills is a dangerous person, and her husband is simply wallpaper, or so it seems. That house is no place to raise children, and given how they turned out, I wonder if they ever really raised them at all anyway.

* * *

Blue snaps her eyes open as a rhythmic beeping pulls her from her thoughts. _3 hours already?!_ "Time to let the kids out the can I suppose" she mumbles to herself.


	2. Storytime

**Have some trivia: originally, Emma was not supposed to have any 'family', but in a last minute decision, I decided to have Cora adopt her.**

* * *

Jefferson tapped his fingers rhythmically. The first 2 and a half minutes of detention were spent in silence, his drumming echoing around the large room. He sighed and twisted around in his seat.

At the other end of the long table that sat in the very middle of the room was Rumpel, quite literally twiddling his thumbs, and next to him, Belle was reading. At a round table behind him, Regina was sitting with her eyes closed and headphones on. Sidney sat opposite her, trying in vain to get her attention. _Pathetic, _Jefferson thought, rolling his eyes. His eyes scanned the room once more, widening slightly in confusion. _Where the hell did Emma go? Damn she's quiet, she may even be better than me!_

When the 5 minute mark finally hits on the clock, Jefferson stands up, deliberately letting his chair squeal as it scratches along the wooden floor. He runs along the edge of the polished birch table, jumping up onto it just past the half mark, and sliding the rest of the way down it.

"'Sup" Jefferson says with a nod of his head and a flip of his hair. Belle's eyes peer over the top of her book to look at the boy now lying on his belly, arm propped up to hold his head. "You're mad, Hatter" she says good naturedly.

"That I am milady, but it is your beast of a brother I desire to have words with." He slides off the table and bows gracefully, pulling out a chair and spinning it around. He sits on it backwards and begins to speak to Rumpel. "Thanks for not ratting me out for stealing the papers."

"Likewise, thanks for not ratting me out for asking you to steal the papers" Rumpel replies with a smirk that Jefferson mimics. "Anyway," Jefferson continues, "I've got this great idea..."

Belle tunes out to the rest of their conversation. She doesn't necessarily approve of what they do, the trouble they cause and the havoc they wreak, but as long as they take her along for the ride, she knows she'll be able to condone it. _After all, when the alternative is to tune into the tedious monotony that life in Storybrooke inevitably exhibits, should I not welcome any excitement, lest I morph into yet another faceless inhabitant, devoid of all- _Belle is snapped out of her thoughts by the image above her.

"DON'T YOU DARE BURN THOSE BOOKS SWAN!"

* * *

Regina hears Belle yell, even over the loud beat that encloses her ears. Taken completely by surprise, she accidentally kicks her leg out, pushing her chair to the floor. Pulling herself up, a disgruntled expression on her face and headphones now around her neck, Regina searches out the cause of the disturbance.

She spots Belle, now at the opposite end of the table. She has her arms on her hips, and is looking straight up with a stern face. For a moment, she looks more like a concerned mother than a classmate, and Regina finds she has to look away. Her eyes instead move to Sidney, who still sits opposite her. She finds herself having to reign in a smile when she see's he looks like he is about to start hyperventilating. _Idiot._

Turning back to Belle, Regina looks up as well.

Emma. _Of course._

Emma is on the floor above, sitting, legs swinging, on the barrier that guards the edge. In one hand, a book, dusty like most of the unused library, and in the other a lit match. She's pouting, green eyes wide, but the twitch in her cheek tells them that she's trying hard not to smile.

Regina feels her heart tighten as Emma kicks her legs out too far and she wobbles for a moment, before balancing again. A collective sigh of relief could almost be heard when she twists one of her legs between the bars to steady herself.

"Get down here right now!" Belle speaks. She had no need to shout this time around, the room allows for her voice to reach the floors above with little trouble.

Regina smirks at the pout that once again forms on Emma's face, this time real.

Regina hadn't known Emma Swan all that long, nobody had. Nobody had had the chance to get to know the girl. But somehow, she fit right into the small community of Storybrooke delinquents. There was just something about her.

As Belle tries to coax a guarded Emma down, like a kitten from a tree, Regina finds herself dipping back into her thoughts.

* * *

_"Regina."_

_She heard her mother calling her. This can't be good. The older she gets, the more Cora leaves her to her own devices. Taking a deep breath, and looking in the mirror one last time, she grabs her school bag and leaves to head downstairs._

_Regina stumbles on the last step, noticing that her mother is not alone. There's a girl next to her. A girl she knows of, but hardly see's, a girl she has only ever spoken to several times before, and a long long time ago they were. Emma._

_Straightening herself out, she looks to her mother, awaiting her explanation. Her face was blank, deliberately so, which could not mean anything good. Bad is when she hides her emotions. She would take her mother furious and obviously so over this any day._

_"Emma will be going to school with you from now on. You are to show her the way, introduce her to your friends, settle her in."_

_Regina pauses a moment to register the scene in front of her. Emma stands, eyes to the floor, blonde hair in her face. She wore a red jacket, which for reasons unknown seemed to confuse her. It seemed like something too obnoxious for her to understand why her mother would have allowed her to keep it. Regina nodded, eyes finally landing on Cora's hand. It was gripping at Emma's shoulder. Regina knew from experience that that seemingly innocent action meant so much more. Her hand would be gripping at her shoulder tightly, causing pain you can't ignore._

_Cora flashed a fake smile, and moved away. "Have a good day girls."_

_Emma stepped outside, Regina close behind._

_Cautiously looking back, Regina is greeted with a flash of fury on her mother's face as she closes the door._

_The moment they cross the street, Regina can see the difference. She watches Emma out of the corner of her eye. She relaxes, almost comically so. Her shoulders slouch, and her hands dig into her pockets. Her feet drag across the floor. Regina finds herself caught up on the way Emma walks for most of the journey. There's something wrong with it. _Like she doesn't know how to walk? _They're almost there when a blast of wind pushes the hair away from Emma's face, and Regina is able to clearly see the handprint that has bruised across her cheek. Emma is quick to shake her head, hair falling back into place._

_Regina doesn't know why Cora has suddenly allowed Emma to leave the house, but she knows that there must be something bigger at play. _She must be losing power.

* * *

Regina pulls herself from the memory just in time to see Emma slide down the banister.

"I'm bored" she declares.

A glance to the clock shows that there is still another 2 and a half hours to go.

Turning away from Emma, Regina finds herself face to face with Sidney. She takes a step back. "For goodness sake Sidney, get out of my face. What do you want?!" she exclaimed. Sidney never failed to exasperate her. "Oh, uh, well, I just... wanted to know if there was anything you wanted..." He sounds nervous. He should be nervous. _This guy is a grade A stalker._ Regina just stares blankly at him, glad when he takes the hint and heads to another table.

Glancing around the room, she can see that the others have headed back to their previous places. Reading and scheming... and Emma has once again disappeared.

_It's funny_, she thinks, walking down the book aisles looking for where her _sister_ (the term brings a strange heaviness to her heart) had disappeared to. _For so many years I've wished for someone to save me from my living hell, and somehow, it's the one person who can't do anything for me that shines a light into the darkness._

Finally spotting her, she slows her steps, careful not to spook her. Emma Swan is a strange person, in some ways, she's more animal than person. She reminds Regina of Graham in a way. She hopes Emma doesn't end up like him, stuck in an institution under the hospital she's not supposed to know exists. Locked away for reasons unknown. Regina feels another pang of sadness overwhelm her, she misses him.

She sits down next to Emma, surprised when a glass bottle of cider is offered to her. Regina wants to ask where she got it from, but realizes that she doesn't want to know, and accepts it instead. A clink of glass on glass rings through the still air of the library for a mere second, as the two hopeless souls drink the time away.


	3. Kindred Spirits

**I have two things to point out, one I believe obvious (but just in case, I should spell it out for you), and the other not so obvious, but not too hard to speculate. The reason Jefferson was caught sneaking through the vent is because he was obtaining the test answers for Rumpel, but was not caught with them and managed to pass them on to him, and of course then Rumpel got caught trading them, but did not rat out Jefferson. The reason Emma was in trouble was deliberately not stated, but you can assume it had something to do with fire.**

* * *

Snow White swung her legs, a gentle smile resting upon her face. She glanced out across the 'schoolyard' (it merely consisted of a large field that separated the buildings for the younger kids and the buildings for the older ones, and a concrete floor on the opposite side of the elder classrooms with benches scattered randomly across it).

As her eyes scan the benches, her eyes meet David's, and a blush begins to form on her face. Her smile widens, and she waves, ecstatic when he waves back. He looks away shyly, rubbing the back of his neck, before glancing up again with another smile.

Beside her, she can almost hear Emma roll her eyes, and so she turns to her, giving her a knowing look. Emma merely responds by mimicking her look, eyebrow twitching slightly as if to say _I didn't say anything_. "You didn't have to" she tells her, a small smile of success crawling onto her face when Emma narrows her eyes. She could practically hear Emma's thoughts - _oh shit, she did it again. She can read minds, I swear it. Quick, don't think of anything. School. Homework. Llamas. Apples. Boobs. Oh shit._ Snow bursts out laughing as her internal monologue of Emma's thought process corresponds with her facial expressions, a smirk appearing on Emma's face as the word _boobs _crosses Snow's mind.

Emma gives a slight pout, "I hate how you do that" she murmurs' under her breath. "I hate how you can tell when I'm lying" Snow returns, an automatic response.

"If you like the guy, why don't you just ask him out?" Emma asks, confusion evident in her voice, laced with frustration. She says it like it's the first time she's ever asked her, it isn't. Snow huffs, "if he wants to date me, he can ask me himself" she said determined, her stubbornness flashing its face over her usually gentle demeanour. She replies the same thing every time, her conviction never wavering. Emma just looks away, the frown she wears when confused making its way to her face. Snow watches her, as she plays with a lighter, a thoughtful expression on her face.

* * *

_"Snow."_

_Regina's usual clipped tone (especially when talking to her it seemed) invaded her ears. A flash of irritation washed over her as she regarded Regina, "I prefer Mary-Margaret, as well you know Regina."_

_"And I prefer your Highness, but I don't see you calling me that either" she replied, an eyebrow raised and smirk in place. Snow just sighed and turned to face Regina properly, stunned to realize she wasn't alone._

_"This is Emma." Regina offers as Snow leans to the side to peer around Regina at the girl standing slightly behind her. Green. That's the first thing she notices. Blank green eyes. Blank. As a firm believer that eyes were windows to the soul, Snow felt her heart stutter. _That house..._ she thinks to herself, realizing they're the same eyes she sees on Regina every day._

_"Look after her, I have detention." Regina tells her, stepping away from Emma. Snow scrunches her face, her eyes questioning Regina, who replies in a quieter voice, "I don't want her going... home, alone." She walks away._

_They both watch her leave until she turns the corner, and Emma looks back to Snow, a thinly disguised expression of irritation woven into her features. Snow regards her for a moment, pondering why Regina didn't want her to go home alone, why she chose to leave her with _Snow White_, someone she openly hates over a childhood dispute she couldn't even remember._

_"Mary-Margaret Blanchard" Snow says, offering her hand to... Emma. Her eyebrow twitches, a silent question asked in a way not dissimilar to Regina's own eyebrow raise. "I prefer to take my middle name and mother's maiden name... Snow White sounds far to princessy for me." Emma glances down to her hand, and hesitates a moment before grasping it. "Emma Swan" the blonde offers, a strange expression on her face._

* * *

That had been the first time she had met Emma, and since that moment, and much to Regina's irritation, they had found they clicked. They just _worked_ together, as if they were destined to be friends. Emma wasn't much for talking, but Snow found she could communicate with her just fine.

Quiet footsteps alerted her to another presence approaching, two in fact. One was the dark moody expression of Regina Mills, the other of the uplifting grin of Ruby Lucas.

Snow didn't even bother wondering why they were walking together - that was the thing about them, the _delinquents_, the kids who dared to step out of line, challenge authority - they may not even like each other, but they always drifted towards each other somehow. Snow did often wonder whether there truly was any hate between any of them, or if they were just angry and looking for an outlet, after all, they were kindred spirits.

As they stepped ever closer, Regina didn't even look her way, instead locking eyes with Emma. "She's leaving town." Regina told her, as Snow and Ruby listened in. Ruby took her place next to Snow, leaning on the wall they were sat on. The four shared confused, apprehensive faces. "For how long?" Emma asked finally, her voice slightly scratchy as if suddenly dry. "A month" Regina replied, disbelief evident in not only her voice, but her now open expression.

"Why?" Ruby asks suspiciously, breaking their eye contact. Regina turns to Ruby, torn between snapping at her for eavesdropping and being honest for once. Truthfully, Emma's presence pushed her towards the latter. Some part of her made her insides twist at the idea of showing Emma what her mother could do to a person. "I don't know" Regina said honestly, "I don't know if it's good, or bad, but I'm worried... something's happening, and I don't think I want to be around for it."


	4. Cracks in the mirror

**Who is this mystery man? Take a guess! Think carefully, I'd like to think it's a challenge, but not impossible. There are clues, well, at least ****_one_**** clue. What about this act that Cora tried to prevent? What exactly happened to Graham?** **What is the deal with Emma? So many questions.**

* * *

4 months ago

_A knocking disturbed the usual silence that encompassed the Mills' Mayoral Mansion. Cora's head snapped to the side, dragging her intense gaze from the darkness of the garden that she had been watching. The outline of the grand apple tree faded, now free from her calculating eyes._

_"Are... are we expecting a visitor?" the hesitant voice of her husband asked._

_She spun on heel, placing her intense gaze upon him instead for several moments, causing him shift uncomfortably under her glare, before then turning to a clock; 10:34PM. "No," she said sharply, angered by the disturbance this late at night. "We are not."_

_"Sh-shall I get the door?"_

_"No. Retire for the night Henry, I will take care of this. Make sure that the girls are in their rooms" she demanded. "Lock their doors," Cora added as an afterthought, a shiver shooting down her spine, a sure sign of her sudden apprehension at what would follow this visit._

_She quirked a brow as Henry hesitated at her final words. Noting her expression, he continued up the stairs to follow through with her wishes. Wearing a stern mask, she made her way to the door._

_Upon opening the door and coming face-to-face with an unfamiliar man, Cora found herself ashamed to admit that she was filled with confusion. "Who," Cora speaks, harshly, bored, "are you?"_

_"Who I am is unimportant."_

_"Then why should I waste my time on you?" she asks, a heartless chuckle escaping her lips. She moves forward, raising a hand to press against his heart, nudging him back and off the doorstep. She studies his face carefully, searching for an identity. His face shows lines of age, but still holds a youthful essence. She is able to ascertain that though they may not be familiar, they have certainly crossed paths before. The faint presence of her that lingers in his heart is evidence enough._

_"Because I know who you are," the man responds coyly._

_She shows no response, caught in an equal state of awareness and disbelief. "Do you now," she states, managing to retain her blank mask. She did not allow her voice to shake with the sudden wave of fear that washed over her, but instead laced her words with curiosity._

_"I must admit, I am amazed at the feat you have managed to achieve. You played God, and in doing so, you managed to destroy so many possibilities, shattered so many timelines, even my own, with your irreversible act. But do not feel comforted by my wonder and disbelief Cora Mills, for the one act you attempted to prevent, to destroy, will come to pass."_

_Cora could only stare at him, her calm exterior giving away none of the panic that flooded her body. "Who are you," she whispered menacingly, punctuating each word carefully, "what do you want?"_

_The man smirked, "all in good time. I have some demands to make of you, well, only one as of now."_

_"And why should I do as you want little man, what makes you think I fear you? You are nobody," Cora snarls at him, anger cracking through her mask. The man however does not react, "you do not scare me Cora Mills. Once upon a time, but no longer." He then, before Cora has a chance to react, moves suddenly forward, pushing her backwards. "Why should you fear me, wouldn't you like to know," he all but growls in her face. "You will meet my request, and when I call for you, you __**will**__ come."_

_He turns and walks down the few steps that lead up to the doorway. As he begins to make his journey down the path, he is stopped as she calls out to him, the anger and disgust clear in her voice._

_"And what exactly is your request?"_

_"Free Emma from her shackles."_

_Cora's eyes widen, _he couldn't...

_With a final glare in Cora's direction, the man leaves and fades away into the darkness._

_Sure enough, when daylight comes, Cora has Emma ready and waiting for her daughter._

* * *

Silence echoes around the four girls as they take in Regina's words. All too soon however, they are drawn from their thoughts by a loud buzzing. _Oh no..._ Regina mouths, barely visible, as she realizes that the buzzing is emanating from her pocket. Dread wraps itself around her as she removes her phone, Ruby and Snow watching her with eager eyes.

Regina licks her lips, her eyes scanning over the text again and again. The dread only intensified at her mother's words.

She looks towards Emma, but she's not looking at Regina. She's looking at the floor off to her right. _It's almost as if she knows what's coming next_, Regina muses. _I only wish __**I**__ knew what was coming next._

"So, what does it say? Who's it from?" Ruby asks, leaning forward, an action mimicked by Snow. Regina rolled her eyes. "It's from my mother," she says looking towards them with an irked expression. The duo gave a silent "oh" at the situation, and leant back. Turning to address Emma, whose gaze is still trailed on the ground, Regina takes a deep breath.

"Mother wishes to speak with you before she leaves."

The three girls watch as Emma's walls rise again, high and mighty. She nods her head and jumps from the wall, all without even sparing a glance at the others.

Snow looks to Regina to convey her worry, only to find that Regina herself has her eyes glued to Emma, forehead knitted with concern.

"What the hell is wrong with your mother Regina?" Ruby asks, breaking their trance. Regina tears her eyes away from the retreating Emma, and looks to Ruby with a sad gaze, unable to offer any explanation.

Ruby grunts in frustration. "If she can turn someone like Emma, someone like _you_, with so much fire, into something so... docile... why do you stay with her?!" Ruby asks. Her frustration surrounds her like an aura, and Regina briefly wonders if she were to look close enough, would she be able to see it?

"Where else would we go Lucas? We are _children_. My... she may be heartless, but she puts a roof over our heads, she feeds us, she clothes us..." Regina trails off, a familiar prickling sensation behind her eyes causing her to look away. "She's the mayor..." she finally whispers. _She has all the power, and we are nothing but her pawns._

It only takes mere seconds for Ruby to form a reply, but the tense silence seemed to stretch on for so much longer.

"She feeds you." Ruby licks her lips, taking a step closer to Regina. Confusion fills Regina's face. _She doesn't get it_, Ruby realizes. "She feeds _you_ Regina," Ruby states. "Haven't you noticed anything... where the hell was she Regina. 18 years. Where the hell was she?!"

"I..." Regina stutters, shocked as Ruby invades her personal space. "I don't know..." she finally admits. "Even now... we don't get to talk at home. She never eats with us. She... it's like she's not even there."

Ruby and Snow share a look. They both move even closer to her, taking a side each. "Regina," Snow says softly, "how much longer can this go on for. How long is it before... before..." Snow falters. Ruby picks up where Snow left off, deciding to be blunt about it, "how long is it before what happened to Graham happens to Emma?"

Regina's eyes widen and she pulls back, shaking her head side to side. "No, we can't, we can't let that happen!" She sends pleading glances to her companions, who nod back at her. "We'll call a meeting," Snow decides.

* * *

The sound hits me long before I begin to feel the sting. The familiar burning sensation begins to work its way through my body. There's ringing in my ears, and it takes me a moment to realize that she's speaking. I'll pay for that.

Sure enough, I feel myself yanked from the floor and pressed against a wall, my cheek resting against the cold stone.

"When I speak you will listen," the harsh voice commands.

As the hands squeeze and push against my already tender skin, a tear escapes from my eyes.

A laugh follows. A heartless laugh that rings around the room.

I find myself flung against the floor once again.

"Poor little baby, poor little thing," the harsh voice taunts. "You know why you deserve this, right? Because you're a sinner. You're a demon. You're _evil_."

I don't move. As usual, I allow the words to soak into me. Don't respond. Don't move. Accept it.

Footsteps echo closer and even without looking, I can feel the body kneel down beside my unmoving one. A hand strokes through my hair in a tender caress. You wouldn't even believe that this was the same person. "I'm doing this for your own good dear, I want you to understand that" the voice soothes. A kiss is planted on the top of my head. "Don't worry about school tomorrow, be good while I'm gone." The body leaves, the coldness of the room seeping into my skin. Clack clack clack clack clack, bang.

When the door finally closes, the crumpled figure on the floor manages to curl into a ball. Now finally alone again, Emma allows her tears to fall.


End file.
